


Inevitable

by TWDsBethyl



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, First Love, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2018-03-25 18:17:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3820141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWDsBethyl/pseuds/TWDsBethyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl Dixon knows how to protect, knows how to hunt and provid for his family. What Daryl doesn't know is feelings and matters of the heart. This is a story of what happens when he unexpectedly starts to feel things he doesn't even know about. This is a prison era story, some things from canon will remain but it will mostly be my own twist to it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First off Thank you for reading! Reviews will help me out a lot, whether good or bad. This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction, so hopefully I don't mess it up completely!  
> Enjoy!

Chapter 1 

The soft footfalls can be heard throughout the empty cell block. That's the only sound that can be heard and to Daryl Dixon, it's way too loud. It's just after dusk, so it's dark in the block, with only a few lights on here and there spread throughout. The moon is full and making it's way up the sky. 

He doesn't know Why he volunteered to be the one to tell her. He doesn't know Why it happened to begin with. A fucking helicopter on the roof. He never saw that coming. He takes a deep breath because he can see her cell. Her lights are on and he slows his pace, prolonging the task at hand.

He can see her in her cell now, so he slows even more. He stops just short of her cell and watches her. She is spread out on her belly, legs straight, writing in that damn little book of hers. She's humming ,of course she is, and he doesn't recognize the song, but he usually doesn't. He continues to just watch her from the doorway. It doesn't feel like a creeper thing to do, he doesn't feel that way at all.

He watches Beth Greene, and takes another deep breath, he must have made a noise because she looks up from her journal and she's all bright eyes and yellow sunshine hair.

"Hey" she says. "What's up?" 

He takes another deep breath and finds it hard to look her in the eye.

"Zach" is all he says.

She looks at him and her face drops just a fraction. She drops her eyes, chews on her bottom lip for a bit before she looks up again.

"Is he dead?" She asks.

All he can do is just look at her and he knows it's all over his face.

She looks down again as she says "okay".

She pulls herself up to sit on her bed and Daryl is waiting and expecting the tears, the questions, the whys and the how come. He's waiting for the heartache. He's bracing himself for it, because he's seen it more then once. He's been in this position more then he cares to admit. 

But there's nothing. Not even a tear. And Daryl doesn't even know what to do with that.

She gets up and walks to her wall. Removes the three from the accident board and all Daryl can do is just watch her. He can't make heads it tails from the situation and it must show on his face.

"What?" She asks.

Daryl simply shakes his head once and Beth takes a deep breath and looks him right in the eyes.

"I don't cry anymore, Daryl. I'm just happy I got to know him, ya know?"

And Daryl can't make out if this is real. If this is the same Beth Greene from the farm who cried about everything. So all he can do is just answer her.

"Me too" he says.

She's looking at him and there's no sadness in her eyes. She almost has a detached look to her and Daryl knows that's not good. He's not sure what's worse, tears or not feeling anything. Then it changes and she looks concerned and the warmth is back and then she asks him the one thing he doesn't ever think he's been asked ever before. 

"Are you okay?"

And it throws him off because here is this girl who just lost her boyfriend, and she's asking if he was okay. It throws him so far off, that he actually answers her. 

"Just tried of losing people, is all."

He totally surprised himself for his honestly and she surprised him for even asking. Then she's coming at him and wrapping herself around him. And Daryl has never gotten a hug or been comforted in his entire life that he can remember, so he can't help the flinch that comes at the first contact. But she doesn't stop and she wraps her arms around his waist and lays her head on his chest and she squeezes and it's so foreign, he doesn't know what to do, so he lifts one hand and cups her elbow.

"I'm just glad I didn't said goodbye. I hate goodbyes." She whispers.

"Me too." He answers and she pulls back and looks at him and he was so wrong. 

At that very moment, Daryl realizes that Beth Greene is not a girl. She's all woman and good lord help him because now, she will forever be burned into his brain as a woman.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl's night gets more confusing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Seriously guys, Thank you for the kudos and comments! Way more then expected.  
> So here's chapter 2. Enjoy and leave your thoughts!

Chapter 2.

He leaves her cell and goes to his perch. Climbs the stairs and just flops on his bed. It's quiet in the block tonight. Always is when there's a death. His mind is heavy with thoughts. Thoughts of the failed run, of Zach, But mostly his thoughts are of Beth. Though he knows it shouldn't be. He tells himself he's wrong. He tells himself there is No way he's allowed to be thinking like he is. 

He tries to shake the image away. He tries to get the memory of her big eyes and soft body out of his head. But who is he even trying to kid, That's all that there is right now. 

So he gets up from his bed. There's no chance of sleeping tonight. He quickly leaves his perch and as quietly as he can, walks the block, checking on it's residents. The block is quiet, Everyone tucked in bed, like they should be. He hears slow breathing from each cell he passes. He knows Glenn and Maggie are on watch in the tower, so he goes out the opposite door to walk along the fence line.

The night is cool, summer almost gone, fading into autumn. The quietness of inside the prison seems to have traveled with him, as even the fences are quiet. The cull crew did a good job today it seems. They'll be more in the morning though. He's almost positive. 

Once he's done his walk around the fence, he decides to go back in. Has every intention to try to sleep. He knows he's tired. Knows he needs to rest, but he finds himself passing his perch. He goes up to the bridge that separates C block from D block.

He opens the door and is greeted by the most unexpected sight. He pauses and takes a deep breath. There's No way she didn't hear the door open, so it's not like get can just turn around and walk away.

She turns her head his way when he approaches. She's sitting in the ground, legs dangling over the edge, and they're bare. Good lord, this girl is wearing shorts and all he sees is creamy skin that glows in the moon light.

As he walks towards her, his mind goes blank. Daryl doesn't have a clue what to say or even what he should do. So he hovers right next to her until she pats the spot to her right in an invitation. He obviously still Isn't thinking because he plops right down next to her, with only a few inches between them.

He can feel her heat. Her warmth. He can smell her too, like sunshine and peaches. Of fucking course, she would smell like peaches. The sweetest Georgia peach there ever was, he has no doubt. 

He has to shake his head to rid his thoughts of that image and they sit in silence. For a little while at least. 

"Couldn't sleep?" She whispers to him. It's a question about him. Of course it is. Always thinking of others. He can't believe this girl. This woman. 

"Naw, you?" He asks back. 

She looks at him then, really looks at him and he's rendered immobile. He can't seem to look away. He just stares into her eyes and he thinks he could fall into those pools of blue. Finally he's able to blink and look away. He starts chewing on the inside of his cheek until he can taste blood. 

She hums something that sounds like "naw " but she continues to look at him. He can feel the weight of her stare like a physical thing. Can feel her eyes burning into the side of his head and it takes everything in him to not turn and look at her. 

She turns away finally, with a little sigh and he's not sure why that sound bothers him. 

Suddenly she is scooting closer and leans her head against Daryl's shoulder. He jumps, he can't help the reaction. He knows she felt it, she had to have, but she doesn't stop and she doesn't say anything. Daryl is frozen. He is beyond tense because no one has ever done this. He's never had a girl, a woman, put her head on his shoulder, or even want to. 

He's holding his breath and just waiting. He doesn't know what to do. His mind is a jumbled mess and his nerves are exploding. 

"This okay?" She finally asks. 

'NO, NO, NO!' he screams in his head. 

"Mmmhmmm" he says instead. 

"You sure? You're awfully stiff right now" she questions. 

Finally he breaths out and wills his body to relax.

"Yeah" he says gruffly. He clears his throat " you sure you're okay?" He asks her back. 

"Mmmhmmm " she replies. 

So they sit there for what feels like hours, but in reality was closer to thirty minutes. It's quiet and nice, one he shuts his mind up. Once he allows himself to just be in the moment. They don't talk. They just are. 

Finally she tries to hide a yawn and That's his cue. He pats her leg and says, "c'mon, time for bed." 

Daryl stands and reaches down his hand to help Beth up. She grabs his hand and he pulls with just a bit too much force. She stands and is thrown off balance. Beth's hand grips his tightly and her other automatically goes to his arm to brace herself. Daryl doesn't know what he was thinking, as he grabs Beth around the waist to steady her. She stumbles a bit and before he can stop it, she's pressed up against him.

Slowly, she raises her gaze to look into Daryl's eyes and he is stuck again. The only thing moving is his heart hammering away in his chest. She is so close to him, he just knows she can feel it. His fingers flex around her waist and her breath hitches in her throat.

Daryl can hear it. He can see it, he's so close. He knows it means something, but for the life of him, he can't figure it out. He can not move. He is frozen, looking at Beth in the moonlight. She bites her bottom lip and good lord if his knees don't go weak at the sight. She clenches her hand that's wrapped around his arm even tighter and finally that seems to break the spell. Daryl clears his throat and drops both hands and steps back, bumping into the opposite rail. 

"Sorry" he mumbles and she is still looking up at him. Still biting that damn lip and it still making his heart do funny things.

He's able to break eye contact and motions for her to walk in front of him and what a mistake that was, because now Beth Greene is walking in front of him in little, tiny Pajama shorts and he realizes too late that they're white and her shirt doesn't even cover any of it. Her legs go on forever and all he can see is the curve if her hips and the roundness of her ass. The only thing in his mind is how the hell does she have this body at her age? Why Oh Why is she walking in front of him? And Why can't he pull his eyes up and away from her? 

She reaches the door and finally he snaps out if it. He is able to reach for the handle and opens the door for her. They walk in silence and apparently, some unspoken rule is made that Daryl will walk Beth to her cell. So he leads her to her space and when they reach the entrance, he opens the curtain for her. 

'What the Fuck am I doing? ' he screams at himself. 

She turns and smiles at him and Fuck if his mind short circuits again. He can't see seem to shake this felling and he doesn't even know what the Fuck this feeling is, so he quickly decides he needs to get the Fuck away from Beth Greene. 

He nods his head and mumbles out a goodnight as he quickly tries to make his escape. But of course, before he can turn and leave, She's reaching out and grabing his wrist. It takes everything in him to not wretch his arm away from her, not because he doesn't want her touching him, but because, lord help him, he thinks he does. 

"Daryl, Thank you" she whispers. 

He barely glances back at her and says, "mmmhmm " and walks away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl thinks he has a solution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extremely Sorry it's been awhile since my last update. This chapter did not want to be posted. I hope it came out OK. Please let me know. I have figured I will be updating weekly. Most likely on Saturday /Sunday.  
> Thanks again for all the comments and kudos! It makes me really Happy at least a few are liking my story.  
> **DISCLAIMER **  
> I OWN NOTHING OF THE TWD OR CHARACTERS AND MAKE NO PROFIT ON THIS STORY.

Chapter 3.

Two weeks. It's been two weeks that Daryl has successfully avoided the phenomena that is Beth Greene. The day after the incident at her cell, Daryl goes on a three day hunt. He tells Rick that same night after walking her back to her cell that he was leaving. He goes and loses himself in the woods, loses his thoughts of a certain blonde and just becomes the hunter once again. 

The first day is spent wondering around, trying desperately to get back to his state of normalcy because whatever is going on in him right now, is not even close to being normal.

Finally, he is able to lose himself to the forest and that's when he's able to find himself. It's all poetic and shit, but it works. He spends the second day killing. Killing walkers, killing squirrels, killing rabbits and it centers him. Daryl can put the situation into perspective. He camps in the trees, with a rope tried to a branch and he thinks he can fix this. He can fix himself. 

Clarity comes on the third day, as he's traveling back to the prison. Distance is the answer. He thinks it's the perfect solution. Daryl figures, he's just been spending too much time around her. Placing much needed distance between himself and the blonde is all he needs to do. Out of sight, out of mind. It's so simple and makes so much sense that he can't believe he didn't think of it sooner. 

His mood drastically changes as he makes his way back to the prison. He feels lighter and like he's accomplished what he set out to do. This is what makes sense to Daryl. Hunting is what he knows and feels at home doing and is more then capable at. Not to mention, the belt full of squirrels and rabbits and the big ol' 12 point Buck he's pulling behind him.

So he gets back to the prison, and they have a big dinner, a celebration of sorts. He's home and he's safe and Daryl brushes off the pats on the back and he grunts in their general direction as he makes his way to the showers. 

He's exhausted. Didn't get much sleep out there, but he's used to it. So he finally gets to the shower block and it's wonderfully empty. Everyone else still enjoying their dinner. He slips in and strips and just stands under the spray. It's cold and the pressure is shit, but it's water and it's a fucking shower, so he can't really complain. He let's the blood and mud and guts swirl off of him and down the drain and feels the tension leave his body. He always breathes easier when he gets back and everyone is safe. No losses since the Big Spot. Since Zach. 

He exits the shower and dries off. Quickly puts on slightly less dirtier clothes and makes his way to his perch. His bed is calling his name. He collapses as soon as he gets there and he's out for the count. 

He wakes the next morning and he knows he is back to normal. Well his normal. He's feeling okay and his mind is not a jumbled mess. He even sees Beth, but makes no attempt to talk to her. Only acknowledges her with a slight head nod. He makes himself busy, planning runs and working the fences and he finds the days are moving forward.

Daryl throws himself into his work and on the days he does run into Beth, he quickly finds something else to distract himself with. He takes more night watches and always on the night Beth keeps Asskicker, because he knows she won't leave the baby alone. 

After the second week of this, Daryl thinks whatever he was feeling is gone. It was just a fluke. His hormones getting in the way. Just his overactive mind and under used body causing crazy thoughts. He thinks Beth finally understands this too. That nothing was ever gonna happen with them. That Daryl was not interested and he knows that's a good thing. Right? That's what Daryl wanted, wasn't it? That was his plan, to stop all the craziness and get back to normal. 

What Daryl can't seem to figure out, is if that was what he wanted, then why does he find himself scanning the yard when he's on watch, or the garden and fields when he's on fence duty or the block when he's on his perch, looking for her? Why can't he breathe until he sees her? Why does he feel better just knowing she's okay?

It's after the third week, Daryl notices Beth coming by a little more. Walking past him, smiling more. Sitting closer to him during dinner. He still doesn't talk to her, and she doesn't speak to him. She's just there. All the time now. He will not admit that he likes it. 

She shows up when he's got fence duty. The build up is getting big and they start to pile up instead of spreading out and too many will take the fence down. It's mindless work for Daryl and lately that's not a good thing. Means his mind can be on other things. Crazy things. Like Beth Greene and how she would look and feel under him.

"Hey Daryl" she says out of the blue and it scares the shit out of him. He was so lost in his thoughts of her, he didn't even hear her come up behind him. She popped up like his thoughts conjured her up. 

"Oh shit, damn girl, don't you know better then to sneak up on people like that?" He says as he turns to face her. 

"Sorry Daryl, I wasn't trying to sneak up on you." She whispers, almost like he hurt her feelings. 

Now Daryl feels like shit for snapping at her. He sighs and turns back to the fence. 

"Nah, I'm Sorry. Shouldn't of snapped at ya. What's up?" He grunts out. 

"Oh, um well, I wanted to let you know lunch is ready. I know you didn't eat breakfast, so I wanted to make sure you at least got some lunch in ya." She said.

And it makes him stop and he has to just turn and look at her. Really look at her, because this girl is something else completely. He starts from the floor and his gaze sweeps over her. She's wearing her boots like always and some dark pants that cuff at her calves, exposing just a sliver of pale, perfect skin. His eyes roam up her legs and he notices how near perfect her pants fit her. Like a second skin. He continues his exploration of her and now sees her bright, red tank top, that in his personal opinion, is made from the devil himself, because good lord above, it shows every curve of her body the way it clings to her frame. He somehow manages to pull his eyes from that view and continues up to the slope of her neck to her sunshine blonde hair pulled up in a crazy ponytail with the little braid to the side. Cheeks bright and flushed, pretty pink lips that are somehow more sinful then her body. And last, her eyes. The sky doesn't even come close to the blue he sees there. Christ, he needs to go on another hunt and soon. 

He needs distance again. He yells at himself to stop checking her out. 

"Daryl?" She says again and thankfully it snaps him out if his very bad thoughts.

"Yeah" he says as he clears his throat. 

"Are ya comin? " 

"Huh? Oh Yeah" he says 

She continues to look at him and then bites her bottom lip, and Daryl has to turn around and stab a walker to get that image out of his mind. Good lord, does she even know what she's doing to him?

"Okay, well I'll save you a plate then." She says quietly, hesitating before she finally turns to walk away.

Before she can even get five feet away, here he is, being dumb all over again. "Hey, wait up. I'll walk up with ya." He says. 

She quickly turns and waits for him with a smile that rivals the sun.

Cursing himself in his head, Daryl just can't understand the pull she has on him. He's tried so hard to keep his distance and it doesn't seem to matter. Anytime Beth is anywhere near Daryl, he seems to forget everything he's told himself. Maybe he just needs to not fight being around her. Maybe allowing himself to be next to her, he would get used to the feelings and it wouldn't throw him for a loop and fuck with his thinking and maybe his body wouldn't react to her. And maybe, just maybe things could go back to how they're supposed to be. They walk side by side, and Daryl tries to put this new theory to the test. He intentionally brushes his bare arm up against Beth's arm, just to see what would happen. He expects to feel nothing unusual. Just his skin against her skin. What he doesn't expect is to feel electricity and fire shoot up his arm and down his spine. It takes him by surprise and he almost missteps and has to catch his footing before he trips and falls. Beth gasps and jumps, her hand coming up to touch the spot on her arm Daryl rubbed up against. She turns to look at him and stops walking. Daryl stops and very slowly raises his eyes from the ground to meet her gaze. What he sees reflecting back at him, mirror his own fire and sparks and he knows he's fucked. He's stuck. He can't speak, he can't move, he can't even think at this moment, other then how fucking beautiful she looks. "Daryl" she whispers, "did you feel that?" He's just staring at her. He can't believe she felt it too. There's no way, shes too good to feel anything slightly close to what he feels. He slightly shakes his head and quickly says, "ya know, I gotta finish my fence duty, I'll be in later. " He turns and practically runs away from Beth. He can hear her calling his name, but he doesn't dare turn around. He makes it back to the fence, cursing himself and his fucking bright ideas. He grabs the sharpened metal pole and slams it into the nearest walker. Only then does he allow himself to turn around, and to his surpris, she is still standing there, right where he left her. Hair blowing in the wind, sun shining on her beautiful face, arms crossed defensively across her chest, but what kills him the most and really makes Daryl believe he's a total asshole, is the look of hurt and rejection in her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Little filler chapter but needed to move the story along. If there's something you want to see in the story, let me know and I'll see what I can do. Thanks again!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's danger in the prison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for all your comments, kudos and follows! I'm blown away at the response my little story has gotten. 
> 
> Happy mother's day to all the mama's!! 
> 
> **DISCLAIMER **  
> I OWN NOTHING OF TWD AND PROFIT NOTHING.

A few days later, a sickness starts moving through the prison at a ridiculously fast rate. They only found out this morning and already five of their own are dead. Nobody was even sick last night and then in the morning, five are dead and turned. Daryl feels so helpless, he's not sure what he can do to help. He's never been in this predicament. And now, two more of theirs are sick. Tyreese's old lady, Karen and the new guy, David, who just got here a few months ago.

Daryl paces his perch, waiting for instructions on what meds he needs to get. He's already decided he needs to go. He can't stay here and do nothing. He leaves his perch and goes into D block. He needs to help. He's already been exposed so it don't matter none anyways. 

Five people they called family, gone. Daryl's mind is in a whirl right now. He doesn't know what to think. His people should have been safe behind the fences, but they weren't. They lost five in one day and one was a child. They haven't taken a loss like this in a long time and it doesn't sit right with Daryl.

Graves. He needs to start digging graves. He moves on autopilot as he leaves D block to the field they use for the cemetery. As he approaches the field, he puts on gloves and ties his black bandana around his face, just below his eyes, hoping to keep whatever killed these people from getting him. He starts to dig. They need four regular size and one small grave. 

The kid keeps circling around his head. They haven't lost one since Sophia, and that thought hits him hard. What if this happened in C block instead of D? What if those five would've been from his original group? Yes, these people are all family, but the original group is like kin. And the thought of losing any of them just doesn't sit right with Daryl. It could've just as easily been C block that this went down in, and suddenly these graves would've been a whole lot harder to dig.

His mind keeps going to Beth. What if something happens to her, and he never gets to tell her that he's sorry for being an ass to her. Never gets to see her big blue eyes and hear her soft, musical laugh. Daryl can't take the thought of never seeing her hair blowing in the wind and her smile that literally lights up the dark.

He slams the shovel into the dirt, frustrated at himself for being so stubborn. For being a compete jackass to her.

When he finishes at the grave site, he makes his way up to the prison, determined to speak to Beth. Before he can get half way there, Tyreese comes out of the door, calling for Daryl, with Rick and Carol in tow. 

"C'mon Daryl, I need you too."he says. Motioning with his hand for Daryl to Follow.

"What's goin on?" Daryl asks as he follows behind. 

They're walking to the tombs it looks like and all Daryl wants to do is take a shower and find Beth. 

"You'll see. " Tyreese whispers.

They enter the tombs and Daryl is assaulted with the smell of smoke and burnt flesh. He gags and reaches for his bandana to cover up his mouth. That's when he sees the blood. The copper smell mixing with smoke. He sees drag marks coming from two cells to the side door. Daryl turns to look at Rick then Carol. Both looking back at him, but give nothing away. 

Daryl goes into tracker mode. He brings his crossbow from around his back and loads it, just in case. He takes point and follows the blood trail. He examines the door and notices blood on the handle and when he pushes it open, there's more blood on the side. The trail leads out to a horrendous sight. Two more of their own, dead and gone. Murdered, obviously as they lay in a pile, still smoldering. 

"They dragged them outside and set them on fire!" Tyreese hollers. 

Daryl is stunned, really. His people were supposed to be safe behind these walls. Now, not only is there a sickness killing his people, but now they have a murderer. Somebody they know and trust is now killing their own.

Daryl snaps back to what's in front of him when Tyreese goes after Rick. He tries to pull him off. Tyreese is strong. He's a hulk of a man, and he's hurt and angry. So much anger and it's understandable. Really, it is. Rick tries to talk to him, tries to explain that he's been there. He knows, of course Rick knows what Tyreese is going through. We all saw him hurting after Lori.

Now, though, Tyreese doesn't want to hear it, he keeps going after Rick. Until Rick has had enough and Daryl has to pull rick off of a bloody Tyreese. Now their both bloody and beaten, as Daryl helps Tyreese up. 

"Get off a me!" Tyreese yells. "I'm gonna go bury them." He says, huffing a little. Still grasping for air. "I suggest you find who did this, Rick, or I will" he says as he storms off. 

"Are you alright, Rick?" Carol asks as she helps Rick stand. 

"I'm fine." 

"Okay, let's have Hershel take a look at ya." She says as she helps him walk back to C block. She looks back at Daryl and he doesn't understand the look he sees in her eyes. He doesn't know what to do. 

He nods his head and she takes Rick away. All Daryl can think about is Beth. Daryl finds himself almost running to Beth's cell. There's a council meeting now, but he needs to see Beth first. Never has he had a pull to see her this strong before.

He sees her, walking the block, cradling Judith, singing softly and it stops Daryl in his tracks. His heart starts beating fast, palms are sweaty and he can't for the life of him figure out why she does this to him. He just feels this overwhelming need to make sure she's safe.

She sees Daryl on one of her passes, walking the block. She stops and even though Daryl has hurt her, has made her cry even, she still smiles at him. And it takes his breath away. Daryl doesn't know why, he doesn't know what it means. The only thing he knows is that he has never felt any of this stuff before in all his 36 years.

"Hey" she says softly, as Daryl approaches her. "How's everything goin out there?" 

All Daryl can do is shake his head, "not good.Listen, I want you and Ass Kicker to go to your cell and wait there until after the council meeting." 

"Daryl?" She whispers in a questioning tone, eyes wide with worry. 

"Please, Beth, just do it" Daryl says in a voice he doesn't even know he had. Soft and almost pleading. So different then his usual gruff and gravely voice that says he's smoked way too many cigarettes in his life. 

He leads Beth to her cell and gives her his hunting knife. She looks at it then back at him and nods her head. She grabs it and straps it to her belt. Daryl can't help the flush of pride he gets seeing her wearing his knife. It does something to him. His chest almost puffs out at the thought that he's doing what he needs to do to protect his own. 

"Don't let anyone in here, except Rick,.your daddy, or me, ya got that?" He says. 

Beth looks at Daryl with complete trust in her eyes and doesn't ask one question. She nods her head in agreement and satisfied that he's done all he can, Daryl turns to leave. She calls his name, causing him to stop and turn and there she is hugging him again. 

"Be careful Daryl. Come back to me, okay." She whispers.

Daryl is frozen. What could she possibly mean by that? He asks himself. She means come back so she can leave the cell, right? She couldn't possibly mean anything else, right? 

The hug was brief, but powerful and just like last time, he gently cups her elbow, but actually squeezes her back a little this time. He's mesmerized buy the feel of her body pressed against his, the smell of her hair and the strength of her arms as she squeezes his waist.

Daryl's mind is a jumbled mess and his body is alight with sensations he hasn't felt in years, if ever. He can't remember the last time he felt so many emotions at once. Confusion, apprehension, acceptance, warmth and an energy that reminded him that he was alive. It thrumbed in his veins, sending electricity through every cell in his body. And all of this happening in the two to three seconds the hug lasts.

When Beth pulls away, she looks up at him with such trust and all Daryl can do is nod his head briefly before turning on his heels and walking out of her cell, to the library. 

As he walks towards the library, he replays the hug over and over again in his mind. His hands clench at the thought if her skin under his rough, work laden hands. The silk of her skin, the smell of her hair, the warmth of her body, is assaulting every single one of Daryl's senses. He shakes his head to displace the errant thoughts and feelings he has swirling around him. He can't seem to pinpoint just one, until finally one slams into him and he almost stumbles at the realization. The one thing he's never truly felt for someone else, for a woman, he's feeling now. Desire.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding the smoldering, burnt bodies of Karen and David, Daryl is on a mission to protect his family, and find the murderer, but what happens when his mind has other plans?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you all asked for it, so I finally made it happen and pushed through the year of non writing. Hope you like the next chapter of Inevitable.

Chapter 5  
His sure and steady steps faltered. His breath came out in a rush. Images of Beth Greene flashed through his head and he had to literally shake his head to make those thoughts away. Deciding not to go there right now, he pushed every thought and feelings about Beth away to deal with later. He knows he had much more important things to think about and Daryl knew he had no business even entertaining any kind of thoughts about Beth Greene. He had people to protect. He had a killer to find. He needed to put away anything that could interfere with keeping his people and their home safe. Wouldn’t it be just his luck that the further he walked away from her cell, the more she seemed to swirl in and out of his brain.   
“No, no, no, no.” He kept repeating to himself. Like his own personal mantra. Like his own private prayer. Like he could will it to come true by just saying it. So, lost in his own thoughts and the internal argument he was having with himself, Daryl failed to notice the presence that appeared behind him until she cleared her throat.   
Snapping his mouth shut, not realizing he was speaking his own private little prayer, that one little word repeatedly out loud and not in his head like he thought. He nervously bit on the inside of his cheek and took a breath before he turned his head in the direction of the noise, and he sees Carol standing a few feet away with a look of confusion and something else he can’t quite put his finger on. Now it’s his turn to clear his throat and being the defensive person, he is, he squares his shoulders almost defiantly, almost daring Carol to say something to him.  
“Don’t worry, I’m sure everything will work out,” she whispers, voice wavering ever so slightly.  
Daryl realizes that she thinks that he is upset about the sickness and the murders, and that’s what is causing Daryl to be caught off guard and in the middle of having a freak out moment, talking to himself. He quickly turns away from her sharp gaze, because Daryl knows that if she gets a chance to look at him any harder, she will figure out the current situations that are going on in the prison have absolutely nothing to do with Daryl’s little self-talk that she walked in on. He can feel his eyes burning like red hot fire pokers were pressed against his ears and he starts to gnaw harder on the inside of his cheek. He thinks he can taste the slight tang of blood. He mumbles a quick response,   
“Mmmhmmm”  
“C’mon, let’s get inside.” Carol says as she reaches for the Library door where they had all decided to hold all Council meetings. Even though they all lived in a prison and faced death daily, didn’t mean they didn’t want to follow some sort of normalcy, and giving the council meetings, a more official meeting place brought just the little bit they needed.   
“Go on ahead, I’ll be in right now”  
“Daryl, what is it?” Carol asks, suddenly concerned, he is not feeling well.   
“Nothing, just need a moment.”  
She reaches out to feel his forehead to check for a fever and Daryl quickly dodges the contact and flinches out of the way, stumbling and almost losing his footing because he moved out of her way so fast.  
“I’m fine, Carol.” He says roughly, “Go on, I’ll be in there in a minute.”  
She nods once, a look of hurt dances in her eyes. She turns and heads through the door, without another word.  
As soon as the door closes, Daryl released another breath of air from his lungs, like he was holding his breath the entire time. He turns around and leans his forearms on the railing, slightly bending at the waist, letting his head rest of his closed fists, breathing in through his nose, forcing it out of his mouth. He learned that trick from all those times he had to control his emotions and make sure he kept his brother out of brawl or kept himself a job the few times he had a job.  
“Get your shit together, man,” he chides himself.  
After a few deep, cleansing breaths and the sound of footsteps coming closer, he quickly stands to his full height and turns and heads inside.  
He walks purposely to the opposite side of where Carol is sitting and flips the chair backwards, so he can straddle the chair, arms resting on the backrest. He removes his beloved bow and gently sets it on the table in front of him. He takes another deep breath and waits for the rest of the council.  
Carol observes his every move and raises a brow at his choice of seats. She tries to catch his eyes, and Daryl can feel her stare like a physical blow to his body and it’s the only thing that is making avoiding her all-knowing eyes, an easy task.  
Sasha and Herschel are the last to arrive and greetings exchanged, like they didn’t just see each other 15 minutes ago and all live in the same block. Once the pleasantries are done, there is a silence that is hanging over them, as they all look at each other. The silence is deafening, and Daryl can’t take much more. Tired of waiting, Daryl speaks up first, which is a miracle, but damn it, he’s tired of the silence and he has people to protect.  
“What in the hell is it and how do we stop it?” he practically barks out to the room. “Besides, you know, killing the ones that are sick”   
The silence is ear splitting for him now. Nobody expected Daryl to be the one to bring it up. And not the first thing out of his mouth. And nobody is saying anything and now it’s making Daryl mad.   
“C’mon, you all have to know that had to be the reason for Karen and David” He says a bit rougher than he intended.  
“You don’t know that,” Carol says, with the waiver in her voice more noticeable.  
Herschel sighs as he says, “I’m afraid Daryl is right. What other possibility could it be?”  
“We need guards placed in block A”   
“Who?”  
“We need medicine to stop the illness”  
Finally, it's like a dam broke, and everyone is talking at once.  
“There’s a Vet College about fifty miles south of here.”  
“Vet College?”  
“The meds are the same for humans, and hopefully nobody else has thought of that yet.”  
“I’m gonna take out a group, the quicker we go and come back, the faster I can deal with the murderer.”  
“How do you plan on finding them, Daryl?’ Carol whispered.  
That made Daryl pause. He was in the process of standing, but that made him sit back down. He looks directly at Carol.  
“Don’t know. All I know is there’s a killer of our own people here, but not only that, but there’s a sickness is going around taking’ out people quicker than lightening. There’s people to protect and save. I’ll worry about how when I get back, but I will find them, and put a bolt in them when I do” He rose from his seat, grabbing his bow in the process.  
Herschel quickly stood, “I’ll make a list of the meds then I’ll be ready to go.”  
“We always run, when we are out there. Always.”  
“I’ll draw you a map” He quickly responded. That made Daryl snort a bit, and nod his head in agreement.  
Everyone rose from their chairs and left their makeshift meeting place after that and Daryl found himself quickening his pace, as his feet carried him automatically to Beth’s cell. As he rounded the corner, he heard her muffled singing floating up towards him and it made him pause. He leaned against the cool concrete walls and closed his eyes and with a deep breath, he allowed a few sweet second for Beth’s angelic voice wash over him. He savored the moment of what he can only describe as peaceful. The realization quickly hit him like a Mac truck. He couldn’t deny it any more. He allowed the thought to enter and grow roots in his head. He wasn’t completely sure, but he could pretty much conclude that these things, were feelings. He was having feelings for someone, and it was more than the family feelings he is used to. He has actual more than friends' type of feelings for little Beth Greene.


	6. Author's Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo, I am thinking of reviving this story..Is anyone interested at all?? let me know.. Thanks

I'm rewriting this to a point, I'm trying to figure this story out so I can complete it and move on.. lol.. Anyone interested??

**Author's Note:**

> So just a short chapter introducing where we are beginning the story and what put Beth Greene on Daryl's radar. This will strictly be a Daryl POV. Thanks again for reading!


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